Costa Blanca
Alicante health centres are restricting phone appointments

Phone medical care was promoted during the pandemic to conduct pre-screenings for coronavirus cases and provide information about the disease. It subsequently became established as a useful tool to expedite consultations that did not require in-person visits and to relieve congestion in overcrowded health centres. However, in recent weeks, some patients have encountered difficulties requesting a telephone appointment through the Ministry of Health’s app, GVA SALUT+, as this option is not available in some health centres, leaving only an in-person choice.
The regional government explains that this is because telephone consultations may experience “long delays” due to congestion, but denies that this option has been eliminated in any health area. In cases where telephone appointments are not available on the app, patients who wish to be seen by their primary care physician by phone must request it directly from the admission staff at their reference health centre, according to healthcare professionals consulted by this newspaper.
Medical sources explain that in some health centres, telephone appointments have been restricted to certain professionals due to their widespread use and the “frequent” lack of response from some patients when the doctor called. This situation especially affects people who study or work outside their city of origin and cannot attend their health centre in person.
Affected People
“I always made a telephone appointment with my doctor. For example, the other day I had a urinary tract infection, and although I was treated at another emergency room, I usually followed up with my doctor so she could prescribe more medication if necessary,” explains O.P., a patient who has been unable to access this option for at least three weeks.
A similar case is that of V.F., who lives outside his city and needed to process a medical leave after suffering a severe blow that landed him in the emergency room. “I had to go to my health centre in person for the appointment with my doctor,” he notes. Despite these testimonies, the Regional Ministry of Health insists that telephone consultations are still available at all health centres and attributes the incidents to “specific technical adjustments to the schedules.” Furthermore, they emphasise that they consider this resource “very valuable” and that they do not intend to eliminate it.
Differences between in-person and telephone appointments
Regarding the time difference between in-person and telephone appointments, a notable difference can be observed at some health centres in the province. At the San Blas health centre in Alicante, in-person appointments are available same day with several times to choose from, while telephone appointments are delayed by two weeks.
At the Plaza América health centre, also in Alicante, the telephone option with some professionals does not offer appointments, and at the I de Villena health centre, it is not even available. In Elche, at the Doctor Alberto GarcÃa auxiliary office, appointments by phone are delayed by almost two weeks.
In-Person
It’s worth remembering that the Ministry of Health has prioritised in-person care over telephone calls in the provinces of Alicante, Valencia, and Castellón in the last month, as part of the new scheduling model implemented by the Directorate General of Primary Care. According to doctors consulted, the new schedules limited telephone consultations to a maximum of six per day, which has significantly reduced their availability.
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Costa Blanca
Alicante TRAM collected 2,494 lost objects in 2024

Last year, Alicante TRAM passengers lost a total of 2,494 objects, which the Valencian Railways (FGV) collected. This data suggests that passengers abandon an average of seven artefacts daily and 208 objects monthly. These objects are stored at the stations for a minimum of one month and for an additional month in the lost property storage facility at Luceros station. The Alicante Local Police then receive the items if their proprietors have not claimed them after this period.
Wallets and purses, keys, backpacks, documents (ID, passports, driving licences, health cards, etc.), mobile phones, spectacles, folders, umbrellas, and handbags are the items that are seen on trains and trams in Alicante and its metropolitan area the most frequently.
October (442), January (393), November (378), June (366), March (308), April (303), August (296), July (291), May (286), December (276), February (263), and September (199) were the months in which the most items went missing, proceeding with the division by season.
The recovery of an object by its owner while it is registered with FGV amounts to 929, or 37.25%, thanks to the protocols established by FGV for the management and safekeeping of lost objects. The remaining percentage is either handed over to the Alicante Local Police or taken to a recycling centre or green point if the objects are clearly worn or deteriorated.
The time required to retrieve an item is contingent upon the presence of any identifying information or the customer’s claim. When there’s identifying information or a customer’s claim, we often recover the item the same day it goes missing, especially if it’s valuable.
Steps to be taken
In the initial phase, lost property is dropped off and picked up at the stations served by FGV personnel before being transferred to the central office at Luceros station.
After one month, the items are collected and transported to the lost property facility at Luceros station to attempt to identify their owner, deregister them for recycling based on their condition, or deliver them to the Alicante Lost Property Office after an additional month.
They promptly hand over official documents, such as passports and ID cards, to the authorities to determine their owner, then destroy bank cards to mitigate unnecessary risks and prevent tampering. Customer service personnel conduct follow-up and minor investigations to ensure their return to the police.
Amazing objects
In addition to the previously mentioned items, there are several remarkable items that it’s hard to imagine users would overlook. These items include bicycles, scooters, suitcases, crutches, walking sticks, laptops, tablets, baby strollers, shopping carts, motorcycle helmets, portable refrigerators, toiletry bags, umbrellas, hair dryers, X-rays, prescriptions, medical reports, a construction shovel, a shower telephone, and even a toilet seat or fire extinguisher.
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Costa Blanca
Firefighters rescue hiker after fracturing her leg in fall in Dénia

Members of the Provincial Fire Consortium rescued a 40-year-old woman on Monday, April 21st, on the climb to Cova del Aigua in Dénia after she fractured her leg in a fall while hiking.
The alert was received at around 12:48 p.m., and an Alpha 01 rescue helicopter and the Special Rescue Group (GER) were dispatched to the scene, the Consortium said in a statement.
Since the woman was at a point where the ambulance could not reach due to the terrain, the rescue helicopter was activated with the GER.
Once located, the officers disembarked from the helicopter and brought her back to San Vicente Park, where an ambulance was waiting. The operation ended at 4:04 p.m.
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Costa Blanca
Catral Local Police car ends up upside down after accident

Residents of Catral, located in the Vega Baja del Segura, experienced a major incident on Monday morning. During their duties a Local Police vehicle from this municipality overturn after colliding violently with another vehicle.
The incident took place at the junction of Avenida Manuel Flores and Calle Albellón. The Catral Local Police vehicle was left upside down at this junction, while the other vehicle’s front end was obliterated.
The Catral Local Police have reported that no significant injuries were sustained in the dramatic traffic accident that occurred while the patrol car was “conducting an emergency service through the urban area.”
The “rapid response” of the medical and civil protection personnel, as well as other Local Police officers, is greatly appreciated.
The Catral Local Police also conveyed their gratitude for the “understanding” of the residents regarding the “inconvenience caused” and emphasised that the Headquarters has initiated the corresponding report to clarify the causes of the incident.
The Local Police issued a communiqué following the accident involving an overturned car on Monday, stating that the safety of both our officers and all citizens is always our top priority.
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